Insurance innovation training provider EDII is expanding its Digital Minds Embed programme beyond London for the first time, partnering with Markel to launch a Northern cohort in Leeds this October. The programme, which has completed 11 cohorts in London, will be hosted at Markel's City Square House office - where the insurer has announced plans to grow its Leeds headcount by 25% over the next two years, targeting more than 200 staff across underwriting, claims, and shared services.
The investment reflects a broader shift in the UK market. Outside London, hubs in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Glasgow are attracting insurers and brokers with lower costs and hybrid working models, with firms including Arch and Aon now operating distributed underwriting teams across regional centres.
The expansion comes at a time of acute pressure on the industry to address workforce capability. A 2024 CII report on the talent shortage crisis identified an ageing workforce preparing to retire, a negative perception of the industry among young people, and intense competition for digital talent from fintech firms as key drivers of a looming skills gap. The CII estimated that 25% of the UK insurance sector is set to retire within the next decade. Only one in three insurers currently has a formal AI training programme in place, and 70% of leaders said business performance is suffering because employees lack necessary competencies.
Digital Minds Embed is a nine-month programme delivered in a hybrid format, combining virtual learning with in-person workshops, and is CII-accredited for up to 36 hours of structured CPD. Its curriculum is built around what EDII terms the Digital Mindset - seven capabilities it considers critical for modern insurance professionals. The programme is also aligned to the CII Professional Map, the competency framework that has gained added significance since the introduction of Consumer Duty, and was the first of its kind to be benchmarked and accredited against it, under a partnership with the CII announced in June 2024.
Caroline Bedford (pictured, left), CEO of EDII, said the northward move was driven by recognition that the skills challenge is not a London problem.
"The innovation capability gap isn't a London problem - it's an industry-wide one. Digital Minds Embed alumni are already leading change across the market, and we want that impact felt in every part of the UK," said Bedford.
The partnership builds on Markel's existing support for the Digital Minds programme and its stated commitment to developing talent outside the capital. Simon Johnston (pictured, right), UK marketing director at Markel, said the course offers a structured, practical way to build confidence in innovation.
"Talent and ambition exist well beyond London and access to high-quality development opportunities should too. Hosting in our Leeds office feels particularly fitting, creating a space for collaboration, fresh thinking and stronger connections across the market," said Johnston.
EDII — which stands for Educate, Develop, Innovate, Inspire — was founded by Bedford and originally launched the Digital Minds programme in 2016.
